Virgin Trains Backs City Bids to Host FIFA World Cup(TM) Matches in 2018

LONDON, November 25 - Virgin Trains will tomorrow (Thursday 26 November) speed groups of VIPs
from the North West to the capital to deliver their cities' bids to be part
of the 2018 FIFA World Cup(TM).

After travelling on Virgin's environmentally friendly 125mph tilting
trains to Euston, the groups from Liverpool and Manchester will then travel
to Wembley stadium where the Football Association will receive their bids.

Both groups have high level involvement from their city councils and
football teams.

Tony Collins, Virgin Trains' Chief Executive said:

'We have some of the UK's greatest cities on our route, and I know that
they can stage great mass-participation events. We look forward to
transporting the world to Liverpool and Manchester for the FIFA World Cup(TM)
in 2018.'

Notes for editors

Virgin Trains runs the following services:

Euston - Liverpool

Hourly in each direction, six-and-a-half days a week (reduced service on
Sunday morning). Typical journey time 2 hours 7 minutes.

By 2018 we would expect to be running more daily services to Liverpool,
for all trains have an extra two carriages and to complete the journey in
under two hours.

Euston - Manchester

Three trains an hour in each direction six-and-a-half days a week
(reduced service on Sunday morning). Typical journey time 2 hour 8 minutes.

By 2018 we would expect all of our Manchester trains to have an extra two
carriages and to complete the journey in under two hours.

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Virgin Trains is the brand name of Virgin Rail Group. We have operated
the West Coast passenger train franchise since 1997; the current franchise
runs to March 2012.

Virgin Rail Group is owned 51 percent by Virgin Group and 49 percent by
Stagecoach.

Virgin Trains has been voted Best Rail Company by Travel Weekly magazine
and Best UK Domestic Train Service by Business Traveller magazine.

Virgin Trains has been awarded the Global Travel Awards 2009 'Best Rail
Operator' Category as voted by Evening Standard readers.

For further media information contact the Virgin Trains Press Office on +44(0)845-000-3333 or visit our Media Room website at mediaroom.virgintrains.co.uk